Stanza 1:
- Begins by mentioning "Tell me where, tell me where" - a rhetorical question that sets up the exploration of what happened to famous women of history and myth.
- The stanza lists Helen of Troy, Cleopatra, and many more, evoking their beauty and impact on others' lives.
Refrtain:
- The refrain, "But where are the snows of yesteryear?" follows each stanza, signaling the passing of time and asking what becomes of these celebrated figures.
Stanza 2:
- Continues with the question of their eventual fate, highlighting that even the most powerful, such as Queen Blanche, are subject to death's embrace.
- The refrain "But where are the snows of yesteryear?" again emphasizes the impermanence of power and physical presence.
Stanza 3:
- Villon addresses the readers directly, questioning what traces remain of these famous ladies.
- The images include "hair as white as flax" and "pretty feet and hands," suggesting the decay and fading of beauty over time.
- The refrain is repeated, conveying the inexorable nature of physical decline and the ultimate dissolution of life's charms.
Final Stanza:
- The poem concludes with questions to imaginary "ladies," asking where their "past loves" and "past lives" may be found.
- The poem finishes with the haunting refrain, this time emphasizing that even the poets and writers who immortalized these women are gone, underscoring the cyclical and ephemeral nature of life itself.
"The Ballad of Dead Ladies" serves as a philosophical contemplation on the transience of life and the inevitable embrace of death. It transcends the specific examples cited in the poem, inviting readers to ponder the brevity of existence, the fading of beauty, and the ultimate fate that awaits all humans, regardless of their fame or stature.